Prime or zoom? Auto focus or manual? That is the real fork in the road when comparing these four lens listings. The group includes a Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 for Canon DSLRs, a Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D, a 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III for Sony E-mount, and a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II zoom. The primes are built around wider maximum apertures and a fixed focal length; the zoom is built around range. Listed prices run from $49.99 to $189.00, so the decision can start with your budget and then move to mount and focus style.
Price comparison
Here is the listed-price comparison for the four lenses. The bar beside each price shows where it sits in the range.
| Product | Listed price | Price bar |
| Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 EF AF/MF Prime Lens for Canon | USD 79.00 | |
| Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D Prime Lens | USD 70.00 | |
| 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III Full-Frame Manual Focus Prime Lens for Sony E Mount | USD 189.00 | |
| Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens | USD 49.99 | |
Decision matrix
| Product | Mount/compatibility | Focus style | Condition | Best fit |
| Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 EF | Canon EF DSLRs | Auto & manual, fixed prime | Open box | Canon shooters who want a fast 50mm prime |
| Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D | For Nikon | Auto & manual, prime | Used | Nikon shooters who want a 50mm prime |
| 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III | Sony E mount | Manual focus, prime | New | Sony mirrorless users who like manual control |
| Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | Canon EF-S | Auto & manual, zoom | Used | Canon users who want a flexible zoom |
Product notes
Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 EF AF/MF Prime Lens for Canon
The Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 EF is a lightweight prime for Canon EF-mount DSLRs, and it offers both auto and manual focus. The f/1.8 aperture helps in lower light and helps you soften backgrounds, which makes it a straightforward choice if you want a fast, fixed-focal-length starting point. Its title names a long list of compatible Canon bodies, from the T8i and 850D to the 90D, 7D, 6D, and 5D. The condition is open box, so it is not a new-in-box purchase; that is the main caveat to weigh against the listed price.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D Prime Lens
The Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D gives Nikon photographers a 50mm prime with auto and manual focus and a 52mm filter thread for adding a filter. The f/1.8 maximum aperture supports lower-light work and shallow depth of field, and the exterior material is durable plastic, which keeps the lens from feeling heavy. The listing is used rather than new, so the main limitation is condition rather than focal length or aperture. The exterior material is plastic rather than metal, so this is not the pick if you want a metal-barrel prime.
7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III Full-Frame Manual Focus Prime Lens for Sony E Mount
The 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III is listed as a new manual-focus lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras. Its f/1.4 maximum aperture is the widest in this group, which gives it an edge for low-light shooting and shallow depth of field. The all-metal build with a chrome-plated mount and multilayer coating is paired with an aluminum exterior. The trade-off is focus: there is no auto focus mode, so you control focus yourself. That makes it the right pick only if manual focusing is part of how you like to shoot.
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II is the zoom lens in this comparison, covering 18mm to 55mm with auto and manual focus. That range moves through landscape and portrait framing, so you get more compositional flexibility from one lens than from a single focal-length prime. The maximum aperture is f/3.5 at the wide end and f/5.6 at the telephoto end, so it is not as bright as the f/1.8 or f/1.4 primes here when the light drops. It is listed as used and in very good condition, and the title shows the IS II version.
Final recommendation by use case
- For a Canon DSLR owner who wants a fast 50mm prime and accepts a non-new lens: the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 EF is the EF-mount prime in this set.
- For a Nikon shooter who wants a 50mm prime: the Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D is the Nikon option here.
- For a Sony E-mount photographer who wants the widest aperture and likes manual focus: the 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 III is the new, wider-aperture choice.
- For a Canon user who wants one lens that covers more framing: the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II is the zoom pick and carries the lowest listed price in the set.
